Honestly, I’m sitting here shaking my head at some people. They’re at it again trying to push their way of looking at things and their way of looking at things is that gays, lesbians and transgender people are all evil. This time they are fighting for schools to allow their children to opt out of education on LGBT discrimination.
The government of the Canadian province of Ontario wants children to be taught about LGBT people and the discrimination they suffer and are still suffering today. I see a two-fold advantage to this. The first is that it will hopefully reduce bullying. There is speculation that for every gay or trans child who is bullied there are two straight kids bullied because they are perceived to be gay or trans. So this education benefits not just gay children but all children. The other benefit is these kids are growing up in a world that is slow becoming less tolerant of discrimination for any reason this education will certainly help them as adults.
“We cannot accommodate discrimination,” said Ken Jeffers, coordinator of gender-based violence prevention with the board. “If a parent says ‘We don’t like gays and lesbians and we don’t want our child to learn anything about them,’ that would be, under our policies, and under Ontario Human Rights legislation, discriminatory.”
I love that. That’s the way it should be. Let the teachers teach about the world, the real world and not the world that these hateful people think they are on. The sad thing is these people call themselves Christian. I’m Christian and am sorry that I’m associated with them in any way shape of form. They respond with this:
“They are presenting an entire secular humanist world view that contradicts the teachings of many families,” said Phil Lees, leader of the Family Coalition Party, and a former public school teacher.
If the Ontario school system is teaching a humanist world, what kinda world are these people living in? I’ve read the Bible and it talks about a loving God who loves ALL His children. If you are really interested in what the Bible really says about homosexuality please follow the second link, from the book Calling the Rainbow Nation Home, below. I’m sure it will open your eyes.
Links:
Gay tolerance teaching mandatory in Toronto schools
http://vancouver.24hrs.ca/News/national/2011/06/21/18316306-qmi.html
Calling the Rainbow Nation Home The “Clobber” Passages
http://www.gaychurch.org/Gay_and_Christian_YES/calling_the_rainbow_nation_home/7_gac_the_clobber_passages.htm
Complete Teresa 
Here’s my take on it, Teresa. If you don’t like how the Ontario school system works, then feel free to homeschool your children in whatever beliefs you hold, OR start a private school for families with similar beliefs. That said, the REAL world is not obligated to accept your personal views, or stand your discriminatory behaviours. That’s why we have laws against discrimination.
As far as the bullying thing goes…I don’t think it’s going to be as easy as teaching children to accept people for who they are. Kids bully, they always have and they may always do so. Many times we need to look at the attitudes of the parents as well, whether because they have their own prejudices they pass on to their own kids, or because they just aren’t as engaged to what is going on in their kids life.